B cell core focusing on how vaccines trigger protective HIV antibodies in early life
Core C: B Cell Core
This project looks at ways to help vaccines teach young immune systems to make broad, protective antibodies against HIV.
Quick facts
| Grant type | P01 program project |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chapel Hill, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11307023 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This work studies vaccinated infant rhesus monkeys to see how early-life immune systems produce broadly neutralizing antibody (bnAb) precursors. Researchers will measure antibody activity, avidity, and the exact parts of the virus the antibodies target, and they will sequence individual vaccine-specific B cells over time. The team will compare those B cell responses with innate immune signals and microbial exposures to find interactions that help bnAb development. Findings aim to guide vaccine designs and conditions that could be tested in people, especially infants.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: This project does not enroll people directly; future clinical trials informed by these findings would likely recruit infants at risk for HIV and adults for early-phase vaccine testing.
Not a fit: People already living with HIV who need treatment rather than preventive vaccines are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this preclinical vaccine-focused work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could help design HIV vaccines that better protect infants and young children by encouraging broadly neutralizing antibodies.
How similar studies have performed: Germline-targeting SOSIP immunogens are a relatively new approach with promising early signals in animal models, including infant monkeys, but they have not yet been proven effective in humans.
Where this research is happening
Chapel Hill, United States
- Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill — Chapel Hill, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: De Paris, Kristina — Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill
- Study coordinator: De Paris, Kristina
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.